Landing on Scottish soil, the American entrepreneur Henry Lee Norris founded the North British Rubber Company, later to be known as Hunter. There he produced boots and other industrial items, using the newly patented and innovative vulcanisation process to create durable rubber products. Production of Wellington boots was dramatically boosted under World Wars I-II. when the company was asked by the War Office to construct a sturdy boot suitable for the conditions in flooded trenches. The mills ran day and night to produce immense quantities of these trench boots, managed to manufacture over 1 million boots over the war period. Recognised for protective designs, the British Rubber Company was called upon again in 1939 after the outbreak of World War II and started to make safety boots.
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